A Confederate Iron Cross Ceremony will be at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Middle River Baptist Church in Franklin County, to honor First Sgt. Alvin Dean Hooper (1827 – 1909). Descendants of Alvin Dean Hooper, which — in addition to the Hooper family — include Rices, Wardlaws, Masseys, Keesees, Hardimans and others, are all invited to attend. Following the 12 p.m. ceremony, there will be a covered dish lunch served in the Middle River Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Attendees should bring enough food for themselves and one more.

The Iron Cross Medal of Honor began with the Southern Cross of Honor medal (also known as the Confederate Medal of Honor), an original Civil War wartime medal. It was intended to honor soldiers for their valor in the CSA. The post-war version is awarded to any Confederate veteran who provided “loyal, honorable service to the South.”

Additional information may be obtained by calling Mike Keesee at (678) 773-8036 or by emailing jmkeesee@bellsouth.net.

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